Cover or lid for boxes



P 14, 1954 A. KATzMAN COVER 0R LID FOR BOXES Filed March 13 1951 *IIIIIIIIIIIIIIVIIIIII'IIIIIII/ INVENTOR. ABE KATZMAN HIS ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 14, 1954 COVER OR LID FOR BOXES Abe Katzman, Bronx, N. Y., assignor to I. D. Company, New York, N. Y., a firm Application March 13, 1951, Serial No. 215,267

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in covers or lids for boxes and it relates more particularly to boxes having covers or lids which simulate, and may be used as, framed pictures suitable to be hung on the wall.

It is common practice to print or lithograph decorative material, pictures and the like on the covers of boxes used for packaging candies, cookies and other articles. While many of these box covers or lids are highly ornamental and decorative, they have not been used for wall decorations for the reason that they resemble nothing other than a box lid or cover. This unmistakable box cover effect is produced by the flange around the edge of the'lid and in the case of metal lids, the rolled bead around the outer edge of the flange. Efforts to print or lithograph a frame pattern around the edge of the cover are not successful because the resulting structure still resembles a decorative box lid.

It is, of course, old to provide vanity and jewel boxes with Wood framed tops which might be used as pictures, but in these more expensive boxes the lids or covers are hinged to the body of the box and are not detachable.

The present invention involves a modification of the structure of the lid of a disposable box to provide atop which is a faithful representation of a framed picture with none of the characteristics of a box lid, after the lid is detached from the box. More particularly, a sheet metal lid is formed with a raised and suitably shaped frame enclosing a depressed area to receive the picture. The flange which receives the top of the box body forms the outer edge of the frame and the rolled bead at the edge of the frame is rolled inside the flange to render it invisible when the lid is hung on a wall.

The raised frame edge on the lid would normally permit the recessed portion of the lid to project into the top of the box body, thereby reducing its capacity. This disadvantage has been overcome by shaping the frame sothat the lid can slide down only a predetermined distance over the box body or by inserting a sheet within the lid which limits the dis tance that the box body can enter the lid.

The lid structure described generally above can be provided with a wide variety of ornamental subjects. graphed or covered with wood grain decals to resemble a wooden frame or a frame of any other desired material. The picture or decorative material can be lithographed or printed in the recessed area, or the decorative material can be The raised frame edge can be lithoseparately prepared and cemented in the recessed area. Moreover, the recessed area may be embossed in intaglio or relief and given an appearance of substantial thickness or depth.

The inwardly rolled flange forms a convenient means for hanging the lid on the wall. It can readily engage a nail or picture frame hook'so that it is unnecessary to provide the lid with means for attaching a picture frame wire or the liketo the lid.

For a better understanding of the present in- Vention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which: I

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a box having a cover of the type embodying the present invention, and

Fig. 2 is a view in section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The box and box lid or cover disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings is typical of the various types of box'and lid constructions that may be provided in accordance with the present invention. As shown in Figs. 1' and 2, the box includes a box body portion ill of generally rectangular shape having a bottom I l and side walls l2, l3, I l and lb of substantially any desired height depending upon the intended capacity of the box. While the box is illustrated as rectangular, it will be understood that it can be square, circular or of any other polygonal or desired shape.

The cover [6 of the box preferably is formed of sheet metal for durability and ease of manufacture and is characterized by a central depressed or recessed portion ll of rectangular or other desired shape, and a raised rim or edge portion I8 terminating in a depending flange iii adapted to receive telescopically the upper edges of the side walls [2 to IE as best shown in Fig. 2. The cover or lid I6 may be produced by a simple stamping operation soas to impart the desired configuration and cross-sectional shape of the lid.

The central depressed portion ll of the lid is adapted toreceive ornamental material such as a picture P or the like of a type suitable to be hung upon a wall. The picture material P may be printed or lithographed directly on the surface of the top or it may be applied in the form of a decal or formed separately on paper, fabric or the like, and cemented or otherwise secured in the depressed area ll.

The rim portion IS in cross section corresponds to the cross section of a picture frame. As illustrated, the rim portion I8 is bounded on its rim portion.

outer edge by the flange l9 which is generally perpendicular to the plane of the recessed portion I! and is joined at its'upper edge by an inclined plane portion 20 to a shoulder or step 2! which further imparts depth and solidity to the It will be understood, of course, that the cross-sectional shape of the rim portion l8 may be modified to simulate any desired type of picture frame molding of plain .or :o-rnamental type.

In order to avoid the lid-like appearance which characterizes ordinary metal covers or lids for boxes, the bead 22 at the lower edge :of the flange I9 is rolled inwardly so as to make the bead inconspicuous and actually invisible when the lid is hung upon the wall. The inwardly rolled bead 22 also serves as -a-.convenient means for engaging a picture frame hook or nail to facilitate hanging the lid on the wall.

The raised rim portion I8 of the box would normally allow the side walls J2 to .45 of the box body 11. 1 to telesco e into the lid 4.5 to such an extent that the capacity lei the but; would be markedly reduced. 'llhis disadvantage of the recessed rim be overcome in the tollowing way. For example, as shown in Fig. 2,, a sheet of metal .23 brother stiff material can be ins r ed within the lid J55 so that it spans the area within the flange l9 and bears against the underside of the recessed portion dzl. :Ifhe sheet 2:3 prevents the box body from entering the lid much farther than the plane of the bottom of the recess IT.

The sheet of metal or other material 23"may be conveniently ed in the lid by providing it with a depending flange or flanges 2A which ?bear against the sinner .surtaoe of the lid flange 19 and have their lower edges inserted between the edge of the rolled bead 22 and .the flange I9; This .afiords astifi, stu dy structure which prevents collapse of the sheet under pressure and thereby assures uni-form capacity for ,the ,box when the lid is applied to sit,

Box lids embodying the present invention are susceptible to considerable modification and may be simplified and otherwise changed as the pur pose demands.

it will be understood that the picture material P applied :to the center depressed portion of the lid may be of any desired type and preferably is of such nature as to render it most desirable for as a wallhanging. A so, the rim or frame 4 portion of the box may be suitably lithographed or decorated with decals to give a wood grain or other ornamental appearance simulating known types of picture frames, depending upon the pictorial material P formed in the box lid. Therefore, the forms of the invention disclosed herein should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following .claims.

I claim:

1. A container comprising a hollow box body having a bottom and upstanding side walls havupper edges defining an open top, a lid for closing said open top of said body, said lid having va depressed center portion to receive ornamental material and a raised periphery terminating in a periphenad flange to receive said side walls telescopically, said raised periphery and flange simulating a picture frame, said flange havin a bead at its outer edge rolled inside saidflange for engagement with the side walls of said body and a sheet of material inside and spanning the pace within the flange on s id l d nd ubstanitially engaging the inner side of said depressed portion, said sheet ibeingl-eneaseable with therapper edges of said side walls to limit the telescoping (of said edges to about the plane of said idepressed center portion.

2. 'The container set torth in =elaim 1 wherein said sheet of material has side ,flanges extending parallel with the flange on said lid and en aged between said bead and the last-mentioned flange.-

References Cited in the file of this patent Austnalia July .30, 1937 

